How to Learn Easy Spanish Words

Build your Spanish vocabulary by first learning simple words.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, there are about 28.1 million Spanish speakers in the United States. Since Spanish is so widely spoken in the United States, it makes sense to learn as much of it as you can. To increase your Spanish vocabulary, you will need to spend time each day learning new words and practicing them. Begin with learning easy words and move on to build your vocabulary with more difficult words.

Things You'll Need

• Spanish-English/English-Spanish dictionary

Instructions

Watch Videos

1. Begin by watching children's Spanish lessons on YouTube. Search for "kid and learn Spanish." These videos use simple vocabulary and present them in engaging and memorable ways. Rewind the videos when you want to hear part of them again. Pause them to repeat the vocabulary you just learned.

2. Learn cognates, which are words in English and Spanish that sound and look a lot alike and mean the same thing. For example, "la radio" in Spanish is "radio" in English. Search the Internet for "list of English and Spanish cognates."

3. Make a plan to learn at least one new word each day. Try to use it during the day when you speak or write in Spanish. Practice your words each day, and you'll soon find you're ready to move on to learning more difficult Spanish words.

References

• U.S. Census: Language Use and English-Speaking Ability

Resources

• StudySpanish
• Colorin Colorado: English and Spanish Cognates